2014 College Football Recruiting: Michigan, Notre Dame, Tennessee and Texas A&M Off to Solid Starts

Late May and early June tends to be the college football dead zone. So, we thought we’d take an early look at how 2014 recruiting is shaping up. We formed a composite from the team rankings on Rivals, ESPN, 247 and Scout. The Top 10 are below. ESPN and 247 have Michigan with the top class so far. Rivals has Tennessee and Scout has Notre Dame.

Numbers Disparity: It’s important to remember it is only May. Some schools are benefiting from the number of recruits already on board. We suspect Ohio State and Alabama will climb the leaderboard as we move closer to February.

Michigan: Brady Hoke has a small class, but potentially a potent one. DB Jabrill Peppers, the nation’s No. 2 overall prospect, committed over Memorial Day weekend. It’s huge for Michigan. It’s huge for the Big Ten, which has signed just one Rivals’ top five kid since 2009, fewer than Missouri. Michigan is still in play for No. 1 overall prospect Da’Shawn Hand. They stole two big in-state prospects who looked to be MSU-bound. After rebuilding depth on the lines the past two classes, the future looks bright.

Look at Butch Jones: We knew he could coach. The question was whether he could recruit at SEC speed. He’s off to a good start. Three of the top seven in-state recruits are on board in May, most notably running back Jalen Hurd. The decisive factor, though, will be gaining footholds in Georgia and the Carolinas and making a few forays into Big Ten country. Tennessee has done that in the past, but in the past they faced far less competition.

Notre Dame: Brian Kelly spent his first few seasons stocking the defensive front. Now, he’s shifting toward offense. Taking a cue from Alabama, he already has four four-star or better offensive linemen on board, two among the top 60 overall prospects. That should help a position where talent has been a liability. He also has a commitment from five-star running back Elijah Hood. National recruiting can still work, apparently, as Notre Dame’s 10 signees hail from nine different states.

The Sumlin Effect: Kevin Sumlin is fast becoming Austin’s worst nightmare. He has 10 signees so far, all from Texas. Seven of them are four-stars. The Longhorns are up there as well, but we may be seeing some “SEC SEC” differentiation at the top. Six of the 12 best recruits in Texas have committed so far. Four of them are heading to Texas A&M.

We suspect Ohio State and Alabama will climb the leaderboard as we move closer to February.

I picture CRM stroking his beard, blowing deeply in to a bubble pipe, and saying, “I suspect you’re right.”.

https://twitter.com/#!/ParrishWalton HuskerDawg

Breaking down recruiting in May is…just…whatever. It is what it is.

https://twitter.com/#!/ParrishWalton HuskerDawg

we do?

Thought the same thing.

The Wayne Fontes Safari

Go Blue!

Nada

Where’s Georgia?

Hmm … not in The South?

/ Sportsgal’d

https://twitter.com/#!/ParrishWalton HuskerDawg

Where’s Georgia?

They’re taking a small class this year (20ish). Not sure they’ll be a top-10 class this year, though after curb-stomping Clemson in week one that could change.

http://laugh-o.blogspot.com starkweather

Kevin Sumlin is fast becoming Austin’s worst nightmare. He has 10 signees so far, all from Texas. Seven of them are four-stars.

Texas usually has this but the other 3 guys are 5-stars, right? Aren’t their generally like 150 4-star and up guys out of Texas every year?

Novac Chokeabitch

If you have ever spent 5 minutes in College Station, you should be amazed at the fact that Sumlin, or anyone else, can recruit so well there. Just the most backward, redneck place on Earth. The kind of place where college kids hang out at the local Sonic on Friday night and consider that to be fun. Don’t know why any kid would ever choose that environment over Austin.

http://spartyandfriends.com Trey

Not hating, because it beats the shit out of a video…or a GIF…or European Club Soccer…

Tough to rank anything at this point. Texas is known to lock down early. It’s not a battleground state for them.

Tough to rank anything at this point. Texas is known to lock down early. It’s not a battleground state for them.

My thoughts exactly. Some teams are hot as hell right now, but they haven’t played a game. How will Clemson close when its star OC takes a HC gig? Think the QB sticks? How will they close after losing 3ish games like they’re destined to do? Sumlin might get some NFL love this year. Think that’ll cause issues? Brown might get his ass fired if Longhorn fans are lucky. Who would they get? That’ll cause major ripples. So much is going to happen between now and Feb.

https://twitter.com/#!/ParrishWalton HuskerDawg

After Tenn goes 6-6 and gets the doors blown off in 5 of those losses, will all of those kids stay committed to Butch Jones?

http://spartyandfriends.com Trey

Brown might get his ass fired if Longhorn fans are lucky. Who would they get?

The Mack Brown of the SEC. Mark Richt

http://laugh-o.blogspot.com starkweather

Brown might get his ass fired if Longhorn fans are lucky. Who would they get?

It’s still early but we’re projecting Phil Jackson to replace Mack Brown.

http://laugh-o.blogspot.com starkweather

After Tenn goes 6-6 and gets the doors blown off in 5 of those losses, will all of those kids stay committed to Butch Jones?

We already know he can coach.

https://twitter.com/#!/ParrishWalton HuskerDawg

The Mack Brown of the SEC. Mark Richt

Please. Texas will make a splash hire. Richt would be good for them, but he won’t put them over the top. We could have said Muschamp a year or so ago, but after he loses to UGA (AGAIN) and regresses to the mean and goes 8-4, Dodds won’t be able to polish that turd.

Nada

Just the most backward, redneck place on Earth.

Starkville is offended that you snatched its title away.

/ Hattiesburg is kinda miffed, too

https://twitter.com/#!/ParrishWalton HuskerDawg

We already know he can coach.

I laughed, but the 2nd year coaching rule (the one that states 2nd classes at a traditional power are always big) might be in play for Tenn. Only time will tell.

http://spartyandfriends.com Trey

Nah, they’ll nail someone like Patterson, Smart, or for the 100th rumor, Petersen